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National Clinical Trial with Connections to High Point Regional Is a Major Breakthrough for Cancer Survivors

6/28/2010

A national clinical trial with connections to the Charles E. and Pauline Lewis Hayworth Cancer Center at High Point Regional Health System is a major breakthrough for cancer survivors. According to a recent clinical trail presented at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, prescribing YOCAS® (Yoga for Cancer Survivors) improves sleep, fatigue and quality of life for cancer patients. Twenty-two of the 410 participants enrolled in the study were from High Point Regional.

Two of the most common problems cancer survivors face are sleep and fatigue, and both impact the survivors’ quality of life. The study participants were largely female, with an average age of 54, who reported sleep and fatigue problems after completing chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgical treatment for early-stage cancer. Participants sleep quality improved 22 percent, their fatigue was reduced by 42 percent and they saw an average six percent improvement in overall quality of life. The yoga group also reduced the use of sleep medication by 21 percent.

“The study randomized patients, with half of them receiving yoga-based treatment plus standard of care and the other half receiving just standard of care without the yoga,” said Dr. George Sanders of Emerywood Hematology/Oncology, who served as the study’s principle investigator at High Point Regional. “They looked at sleep, quality of life and fatigue and in all cases, yoga helped. It was a significant success, the people who were getting yoga obviously did better and felt better. I believe in yoga now and I didn’t necessarily believe in it before this study. I’d rather have my patients do yoga for their sleep problems than take another pill. I’ll recommend it to my patients.”

High Point Regional will add a second yoga class for cancer patients beginning July 16. For more information about yoga for cancer survivors or other clinical trials being offered at High Point Regional, call (336) 878-6888.

“This is an excellent example of what happens when people enroll in clinical trials,” said Janet Forrest, Oncology Program Planning Liaison, High Point Regional. “Not only do they often see a direct benefit personally, they also get to play a role in discoveries that can benefit thousands of other patients.”